Blind



April 9, 1929. H K 1,708,636

v BLIND Filed July 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I f f/ L. G. SHOOK April 9,1929.

BLIND Filed July 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

' LAWRENCE G. SHOOK, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BLIND.

Application filed July 2,

This invention relates to improvements in blinds and particularly tothat class commonblind,

ly known as Venetian blinds.

A primary object ofthis invention is to provide an improved'blindconsisting of aplurality-of flat slats adapted to be raised and loweredand which is so constructed that it may be nicely embodied upon the dooror adjacent the window of a vehicle.

Another object of this inventionis to provide a blind consisting of aplurality of flat slats adapted to be raised and lowered and to providea construction which will simultaneously move all of the slats from acollapsed position in which the slats are adjacent each other to theexpanded position in which all of the slats are equally spaced from eachother and assume parallel positions.

A further object of this invention is to providc a blind constructionand to provide an improved mechanism wherein all of the fiat slatsforming the blind may be simultaneously tiltedinto any desired inclinedposition, and at the same time permitting some of the slats to be turnedindependently of-others so that they may assume positions wherein theirplanes are not parallel to the other slats.

. A stillfurther object of this invention is to provide a blindconstruction adapted to be incorporated in the body construction of avehicle, which will not rattle, which is neat in appearance, occupying aminimum amount of space, and which when in collapsed position will forma part of the window sill.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will be made manifestin the fol- Figure'l is a partial perspective view of the interior ofthe vehicle illustrating the improved blind in applied position therein,

Fig.2 is a Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section through V the blind toillustrate certain details of'con struction,

- Fig.4 is an outside elevation 'ofthe blind, the outside covering beingshown as having been removed, I

Fig. 5 is an end elevation taken substantially in the direction of thearrow 5 upon Fig. 4,

horizontal section through the- 1926. Serial No. 120,101.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 6-6 ofFig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88 ofv Fig. 4, v

Fig. 9 is a vertical section similarto Fig. 8 illustrating the blind incollapsed position, an

Fig. 10 is a sectional View which may be considered as having been takensubstantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4, but showing a slightlymodifiedform of construction.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, the improved blind isshown as consisting of a housing, which may be formed of sheet metalproviding a bottom 10, two upstanding sides 11 and 12 and a top 13.Adjacent the sides 11 and 12 and slightly spaced inwardly therefromthereare two guides 14 and 15 which have vertical slots 16 formedtherein. These guides have their top and bottom ends fastened to the top13 and the bottom 10 respectively of the housing. Adjacent the top ofthe housing there is a horizontal shaft 17 which extends through theguides 14 and 15 and has its ends rotatable in the sides 11 and 12 ofthe housing. A similar shaft 18 is arranged hear the bottom of thehousing and has its ends extending through the guides 14 and 15 androtatably mounted in the sides ofthe housing. The shaft 18 has one endextending through the side 12 of the housing and provided with a wormwheel 19 adapted to be driven by a worm 20 rotatable in a bracket 21mounted on the side 12 of the housing and which'is adapted to be rotatedby the crank 22, so that on rotation of the crank the shaft 18 can berotated.

On the shafts 17 and 18 between the guides 14 and 15 and theirrespective side walls 11 and 12 there are rigidly mounted sprockets 23.Each of these sprockets is of the same size and each sprocket isdisposed very close to its most adjacent guide 14 or 15. Endless chains24 are trained over the sprockets so that these chains will be arrangedadjacent the outer face of the guides 14' and 15. Suitable coil springs25 are inserted into the chains and cause a tension to be continuallyapplied to the chains so that the chains will always be tight and willnot tend to vibrate sufiiciently to produce rattling.

The blind proper consists of a plurality of flat slats 26 which may beformed of wood,

.pressed fiber, or any other desirable main the guides 14 and 15. On theinner sides of the sides 11 and 12 of the housing, there are mountedlazy tongs constructions, each of which has its lower end fastened tothe sides 11 and v12 of the housing. near the bottom ofthe sides. I Thelazy tongs constructions may be briefly described as follows:

They consist of a plurality of metallic links- 30 which are of equallength and which cross each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, the endsof the links being pivotally connected together such as by rivets 31.The'pins 28 and 28 have shoulders 32 formed thereon which bear againstthe sides of the links 30 where the links cross each other, and the pins28, and 28 also extend through the apertures formed. in the links wherethey cross each other, so that in this manner the pins 28 and 28 form apivotal connection at the intersections of the links 20 and also serveto pivotally mount the flat slats upon the lazy tongs. The ends of thepins 28 and 28" are riveted over, as indicated at 33, so

\that they cannot be withdrawn from the apertures in the intersectinglinks 30. The upper ends of each of the lazy tongs are fastened to thechains 24, as indicated.at 34, so that upon rotation of the crank 22,the shaft 18 will be rotated, thus operating the endless chains 24 andcausing the lazy tongs construction to be raised or lowered, as the casemay be.

Ifthe tongs are being raised by the chains,

the flat slats 26 will also be lifted thereby and from the operation ofthe lazy tongs, it'- will be readily understood that all of the slatswill be lifted simultaneously,the upper slats moving much faster thanthe lower slats, so that the slats will simultaneously be moved fromcollapsed position, as shown in Fig. 9, wherein they are side by side,to an expanded position in which the slats are equally spaced andparallel to each other. It will be readily appreciated that if the blindis only half raised, all of the slats will be spaced from each other anequal distance, which is about half of the distance between the slatswhen the blind is fully raised.

In this way the improved blind differs greatly from the conventionalVenetian blind wherein the blind is half raised or lowered, as the casemay be, part ofthe slats are fully-spaced from each, other while theremaining slats remain in fully collapsed are compressed between thesewashers and neou sly tilting all of the slats laterally so that theslats can assume positions in'which all of their planes are parallel toeach other and horizontal, or parallel to each other and downwardly andinwardly inclined, or parallel to each other and downwardly and outwardly inclined. This consists of two links 35 and 36 which are pivoteddirectly above and below the slot 16 in one of the guides,

and may be on either side. 'On the drawing this guide is shown as beingthe guide 14. The links 35 and 36 are of equal length and an actuatingguide 37 is pivotally connected to their free ends. In this actuatingguide there is formed a longitudinal groove 38 in which small guide pins39 fit. The guide 'pins 39 have shoulders 40 thereonwhich bear againstthe actuating guide 37, andthe pins are fastened to the slats 26adjacent their side edges. pins 28 that they bear against that side ofthe groove 38 which is most adjacent the pins, thus establishing africtional contact with the side of the groove. The pins 28 which aredisposed on the opposite ends of the slats 26 from the actuating guide37 have washers 41 disposed thereabout which bear against the insideface of the guide 15. Coil springs 42 are disposed about the pins 28 andare compressed between the washers 41 and the ends of the slats 26, sothat they urge the slats toward that side of the housing on which theactuating. guide 37 is mounted. This provides a construction which willnot rattle and urges the shoulders 40 on the pins 39 into engagementwith the face of the actuating guide, and in this way there will be aconsiderable frictional contact between the shoulders on the pins 39 andthe face of the actuating guide as well as the frictional contactbetween the sides of the pins 39 and the side of the groove 38.

About alternate pins 28*? and 28 a sleeve or, ferrule 43 is disposedwhich fits between They are so .spaced'from the the guide 15 and theshoulder 32. These fer- I rules keep the lazy tongs constructionproperly spaced from the guide 15 and also preactuating guide the pins39 fitting within the grooves 38 will cause the slats 26 to be swungfrom downwardly and inwardly inclined parallel position into ahorizontal and parallel position. On further raising the actuating guide37 all of the slatsgwill be carried above-the horizontal position andwill.

be-caused'to assume a downwardly and outwardly inclined position. Theslats will be carried through the. horizontal position because of thefrictional contact between the pins 39 and the sideof the groove 38 andalso because of the frictional contact between theshoulders 40 and ."theface of the actuating guide 37 this way all of the slats 26 can besimultaneously tilted together.

- The above described construction, however,

does notprevent certain of the slats from being'tilted into a positionwhich is .not'parallel to the remaining slats. For example, if

all of the slats are m a parallel positionin which they are downwardlyand inwardly inclined, one of the slats can be grasped and forciblyturned, so that it will assume a downwardly and outwardly inclinedposition. Thiscan be done by springingthe actuating guide 37 veryslightly, and .is also accomplished by reason of the fact thatthepins 39are alittle loose in the groove Y38, and they bear against the side of.the groove which is most ad acent the pins 28. It will thus beappreciated that under certain-circumstances when it is" desired to havesome ofthe slats downwardly and inwardly inclined and other slatsdownwardly and outwardly in- L clined, the slats can bepositioned asdesired.

. In using the device it will be found that if some of the slats havebeen manually turned,

so that they will not be parallel to the remain; ing slats on springingthe actuating guide .37 those slats which have been turnedwill beautomatically picked up again, that is,-'if some of the slats have beenturned into a v downwardly and outwardly inclined position, on movingthe actuating guide to cause allof the slats to assume a downwardly andoutwardly inclined position, it will be found that-on again swinging theactuating guide 37' to move the slats into a downwardly andinwardly'in'clined position; all of. the slats will be caused to, assumethis position. It will be readily'understoo'd that the friction betweenthe actuating guide and the guide 14 is normally sufficient to hold thisguide in any adjusted position thus-causing' all of the slats to remaininthe-same position, either downwardly and inwardly mchned, ordownwardly and outwardly inclined. l-lowever,

' edge of the an'additional construction may be provided tor holding theactuating guide 37 in any that it will be even with the top most slat,

when the blind. is in'its fully collapsed position and when the slatsare horizontal so that whenall of the slats are collapsed and areautomatically caused to assume a horizontal position, the top slatcooperates with the top panel l7 to form a smooth even window sill.

blind may be very advantageously incorporated in the body constructionof a vehicleof the closed car type. Furthermore, if the blind is fairlynarrow, it will in no way interfere with a window pane in the body ofthe As clearly shown in'Fig. 1, the improved vehicle which may be eitherstationary or one which can be-raised or lowered.

. The improved blind has all of the advantages of the conventionalVenetian blind. in that it may prevent sunlight from directly enteringthe vehicle and cause it to be reflected toward the top of the vehicleand also providing what is commonly known as aoneway vision, whereinpersons inside of the vehicle on proper adjustment of the blind can seeobjects on the outside, but persons on the outside of the vehicle cannotordinarily see objects on the inside of the vehicle. proved .blind alsoprovides for a ready and easy ingress and egress of air and at the sametime jean prevent the direct rays of sunlight froin entering. g

5 .By the arrangement where the endless chains 24am disposed between thelazy tongs constructions 'and the guides 14 and 15, these chainsstraddle or pass about the pins 28% and v 28 thus providing aconstruction which while the drawing illustratesthe blind as beingcollapsed at the bottom, by a slight change in construction the blihdmay be collapsed at the top and lowered into expanded position. Afurther modification is shown m Fig. 10, wherein there may be twolazytongs constructions at-each side of the housing.

to its sideof the housing near the top or bottom thereof respectively,as indicated at 48.

Each lazy tongs construction has its freecnd fastened to itsrespectivechain'24, the upper.

The im-."

2 Each lazy tongs'has its remote end fastened lazy tongs being fastenedto one side of the chain 24 and the, lower lazy tongs being fastened tothe other side, so that as the endless chain is driven, both lazy tongsmay be expanded or collapsed simultaneously. In such a construction, theblind which will be in two sections has both of its sections assume acollapsed position near the top and bottom of the housing respectively,instead of being at the bottom as shown in the construction illustratedin Figs. 1 to 9 inc., or at the top of the housing, as suggested.

From the above described construction it will be readily appreciatedthat the improved blind has many advantages and may be employed Whereverthere is a window opening or the like, which may be on a vehicle or in adwelling house or elsewhere.

It will be understood that various changes in the detail of constructionmay be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A blind comprising-a plurality of parallel flat slats, means formoving the slats into a collapsed position in which the slats are sideby side or into an expanded position in which the slats are spaced fromeach other and parallel, said slats being mounted for rotation about thelongitudinal axis, and means connected to each slat for tilting thesalts, said means permitting some of the slats to be tilted inadirection opposite from the remaining slats.

2. A blind comprlslng a plurality of parallel flat slats pivotallymounted at their ends and arranged one above the other, links pivotallymounted for movement about an axis in the plane containing the axes ofrotation of the slats, an actuating member having a groove thereinpivoted to the links, pins carried by the slats extending into thegroove the guides, pins carried by the slats extend-' whereby when theactuating member is moved, the slats may be tilted simultaneouslythereby, said slats being mounted for endwise movement, and spring meansurging the slats toward the actuating member as and for the purposedescribed. 1

3. A blind comprising a housing, a pair of slotted parallel guides inthe housing, a pluralitypf parallel fiat slats disposed between ingthrough the slots in the guides, lazy tongs between the guides and thehousing, said pins being connected to the lazy tongs, shafts rotatablymounted in the housing adjacent the top and bottolnthereof, sprockets onthe shafts, endless chains passed over the sprockets and disposedbetween the guides and the housing, each of, the lazy tongs having oneend secured to the housing and the other secured to its respectivechain, and means for rotating one of the shafts so as to move the chainsand thus movethe lazy tongs into colthrough the slots'in the guides,lazy tongsbetween the guides and the housing, said pins being connectedto the lazy tongs, shafts rotatably mounted in the housing adjacent thetop and bottom thereof, sprockets on the shafts, endless chains passedover the sprockets and disposed between the guides and the housing, eachof the lazy tongs having one end secured to the housing and the othersecured to its respective chain, means for rotating one of the shafts soas to move the chains and thus move the lazy tongs into collapsed orexpanded position so as to raise or lower the slats, links pivoted uponone of the 'uides, an actuating member pivoted to the links, pinsmounted upon the slats adjacent their side edges, said pins extendinginto a groove on the actuating member, and means for moving theactuating member so as to produce tilting of the slats.

5. A blind comprising a housing, a pair of slotted parallel guides inthe housing, a plurality of parallel flat slats disposed between theguides, pins carried by the slats extending through the slots in theguides, lazy tongs between the guides and the housing, said pins ,slatstoward one of the guides'so as to reduce rattling.

6.- A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats, and means for raisingand lowering the slats, saidmeans being so constructed as to cause theends of each slat to be raised and lowered together in unison sothat-there will be no endwise tilting of the slats, each slat beingpivotedfor rotational movement about its longitudinal 'axisindependently of each other slat,

7. A blind comprising a plurality of fiat slats and means for movingeach slat simultaneously from a collapsedposition wherein the slats areside by side into an expanded position wherein the slats are spaced andparallel, each slat being pivoted for rotational movement about alongitudinal axis independently of the others.

8. A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats,'and means for movingeach slat simultaneously from collapsed position wherein the slats areside by side into an expanded pendently for. rotation about alongitudinal axis. v

9. A blind comprising a plurality of flat I slats, a lazy tongs, meansconnecting the slats pivotallyto the lazy tongs whereby the slats may bemoved into collapsed positions adjacent each other or into spacedpositions by the lazy tongs and the slats may be adjustably tilted whilein their spaced positions.

10. A blind comprising a plurality of flat .slats, a lazytongs, meansconnecting 'thefslats to the-lazy tongs pivotally whereby the'slats maybe moved into collapsed position adjacent each other. oriin'to spacedposition by the lazy tongs and the slatsimay be adjustably tilted whilein their spaced. positions, and means for extending and collapsing'thelazy tongs.

, 11. A blind comprising two spaced lazy tongs, a plurality of flatslats disposed between the lazy. tongs having their ends pivotallyfastened at different points along the lazy tongs and being adapted torotate about tongs each slat being pivotedso as to rotate longitudinalaxes independently of each other whereby. the slats may be moved fromcollapsed positions adjacent .each other "into spaced and parallelpositions by the lazy to 12..A blind comprising two spaced lazy tongs,aplurality of flat slats disposed be tween the lazy tongs having theirends fastened at different points along the lazy independently about vits longitudinal axis whereby the 'slats may be moved from" a collapsedposition adjacent each other into spaced and parallel positions by thelazy tongs and may be adjustably tilted while in their spaced parallelpositions, and means for moving the lazy tongs from collapsedpositionsinto extended positions or vice versa.

'13. A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats, means for raising andlowering the slats, said means being so constructed as to cause the endsof each slat to be raised and lowered together so that there will be noendwise. tilting of the slats, anda second means adapted to tiltsaidslats about their, longitudinal axes in unison.

14. A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats, means for moving eachslat simultaneously from a collapsed position wherein the slats are sideby side into an expandedposition wherein the slats are spaced andparallel,

and means for tilting the slats about their longitudinalaxes in' unisonrelatively to the first mentioned means.

15. A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats, a lazy tongs, meansconnecting the slats to the lazy tongs whereby the slats may be movedinto collapsed positions adjacent each other or into spaced positions bythe lazy tongs, and means fortilting the slatsabout their longitudinalaxes in unison relatively to the. lazy tongs. 1

16. A blind comprising two-lazy tongs, a plurality of flat slatsdisposed between the lazy tongs having their ends fastened at differentpoints along the lazy tongs whereb the slats may be moved from collapsedpos1- tions adjacent each other into spaced and parallel positions bythe lazy tongs, means or moving the lazy tongs from collapsed positioninto extended position or vice versa, and additional means for tiltingthe slats about their longitudinal axes in unison;

' 17 A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats, means for raising andlowering the slats, said means being so constructed as to cause the endsof each slat to be raised and lowered together in unison so that therewill be no endwise tilting of the slats, each slat being'pivoted forrotational movement about' its longitudinal axis independently of eachother slat, andadditional means for tilting the slats about their.longitudinal axes in unlson.

18. A blind comprising a plurality of flat -slats, means for moving eachslat simultaneously from a collapsed position wherein the allel, 'eachslat being pivoted independently for rotation about a longitudinal axis,and

additional means for tilting the slats about their longitudinal axes inunison.

20. A blind comprising a plurality of fiat slats, a lazy tongs, meansconnecting the slats pivotally to the lazy tongs whereby the slats maybe'moved into collapsed positions adjacent each other or into spacedpositions by the lazy tongs, and additional means for tilting the slatsabout their longitudinal axes in unison.

'21. A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats, a lazy tongs, meansconnecting the slats to the lazy tongs pivotally whereby the slats maybemoved into collapsed position adjacent each other or into spacedpositionby the lazy tongs, means for extendin ing the lazy tongs, andadditional means for tilting the slats about their longitudinal axes inunison.

22. A blind comprising two spaced lazy tongs, a. plurality of flat slatsdisposed between thelazy tongs having their ends pivotand collapsallyfastened at different points along the tened at different points alongthe lazy tongs,

each slat being pivoted so as to rotate independently about itslongitudinal axis whereby the'slats may be moved from a collapsedposition adjacent each. other into spaced and parallel positions by thelazy tongs, means for moving the lazy tongs from collapsed positionsinto extended positions or vice versa, and means for tilting the slatsabout their longitudinal axes in unison.

24. A blind comprising four sprockets, two of which are arrangedvertically above the others, endless chains passed over the sprockets, aplurality of flat slats disposed be tween the chains and connectedthereto so as to becapable of being raised and lowered 25. A blindcomprising four sprockets, two

of which are arranged vertically above the others, endless chains passedover the sprockets, a plurality of flat slats disposed between thechains and connected thereto so as to be capable of being raised andlowered thereby, said chains being provided with elastic parts, saidraising and lowering being conducted in simple geometrical progression.26. A blind comprising a plurality of flatslats, means for moving eachslat simultaneously from a collapsed position wherein the slats are sideby side into an expanded position wherein the slats are spaced andparallel, said means comprising a lazy tongs wherein the slats arepivoted to points on the lazy tongs throughout its length, and anendless chain operating said lazy tongs.

27. A blind comprising a plurality of flat slats, a lazy tongs, meansconnecting the slats to the lazy tongs whereby the slats may be other orinto spaced position by the lazy tongs, meansfor extending or collapsingthe lazy tongs, means whereby said slats may be tilted in unison, andmeans comprising a plurality of sprockets and endless chains passed overthe sprockets for operating said lazy tongs to collapse said slats.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

- L. G. SHOCK.

' moved into collapsed position adjacenteach i

